This invention relates to an improved reinforcing ridge for structural construction materials. In particular, this invention relates to a reinforcing ridge formed in a length of rigid material with first and second unjoined edges.
The difficulties of building structures out of man-made materials are many. A major difficulty is making the material rigid enough to resist compression, torsion and bending. In the field of metal housing, for example, lengths of sheet metal are formed into rectangular beams of various lengths and subsequently joined together. The prior art metal beams, when formed into rectangular shapes, dealt with the unjoined edges in one of two ways. Sometimes the unjoined edges were left unjoined so that open space existed. This is an inexpensive way to form a metal beam. Unfortunately, beams formed in this manner are not structurally strong in that they are easily deformed. The second way that the prior art handles the unjoined edges is to screw or weld them together. This results in a much more structurally sound man-made beam but dramatically increases the cost.
Additionally, either of the prior art solutions to the problem of the unjoined edges results in a man-made beam that is difficult and time-consuming, and therefore costly, to join with other beams. Currently, man-made materials such as these are joined together by screws and bolts individually attached in a labor-intensive manner. Thus, there is a need in the art for providing a reinforcing ridge in rigid material that not only deals with the problem of satisfactorily joining the unjoined edges but also results in a man-made structure that supports the use of automatic joining devices, such as pneumatic guns and screws. It, therefore, is an object of this invention to provide an improved reinforcing ridge system in man-made materials, such as metal tubing, that simply and inexpensively joins the unjoined edges without the use of screws and simultaneously results in a structure that supports the use of automatic joining devices.
Accordingly, in a length of rigid material with first and second unjoined edges, the reinforcing ridge of the present invention includes a short extension connected to the first unjoined edge. A long extension is connected to the second unjoined edge. A connection locking slot is formed in the long extension and conformed to just receive and retain the short section when the unjoined edges are brought together. In a further embodiment of the invention, the short and long extensions have front and back faces. The long extension front face, in this embodiment, is conformed to cover the short extension front face and partially cover the short extension back face.
In a further embodiment, the rigid material is formed into a rectangle with the reinforcing ridge in one side and at least one reinforcing rib in a side facing the reinforcing ridge. In a still further embodiment, the invention includes at least one reinforcing rib in a side facing the reinforcing ridge and at least one strength indent in a side adjacent to the reinforcing ridge. Other preferred embodiments include two reinforcing ribs; two strength indents; two pairs of strength indents; and combinations thereof.
A method of joining two unjoined edges in a length of rigid material is also disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes forming a short extension in the first unjoined edge and a long extension in the second unjoined edge. Thereafter the first and second unjoined edges are brought together and the long extension is bent over the short extension forming a connection locking slot so that the first and second unjoined edges are joined together and form a reinforcing ridge. Other embodiments of the method of the invention include forming at least one reinforcing rib in a side facing the reinforcing ridge. Additional preferred embodiments include providing at least one strength indent in a side adjacent to the reinforcing ridge. Additional methods disclose preferred embodiments of various combinations of the reinforcing ridge and reinforcing ribs and strength indents.